Canon PG-30/CL-31 Ink Cartridges

Canon PG-30 / CL-31 Ink Cartridges

The PG-30 / CL-31 family is the entry-level FINE generation from the mid-2000s. Its shelf: PG-30 black (up to 219 pages, $25.49); CL-31 tri-color (up to 205 pages, $26.99). It serves 6 printers, and every cartridge on this page is a Clever Supplies compatible covered by our Lifetime Warranty.

The job mix on a mid-2000s entry-level FINE printer is simple, and the cartridge system matches it: one pigment black slot for documents, one tri-color slot for photos and color pages, nothing else to manage. The printhead is built into each cartridge, so every change renews the printhead and clears the streaks that cleaning cycles leave behind. Replacement is a two-minute job with no tools, and standard and high-capacity tiers share the same slots wherever Canon offered both.

Which PG-30 / CL-31 should you buy?

Black ran dry: the PG-30 Black Ink Cartridge ($25.49) refills the document slot on its own — pigment black, rated up to 219 pages.
Color ran dry: the CL-31 Tri-Color Ink Cartridge ($26.99) refills the photo-and-color slot by itself — dye tri-color, rated up to 205 pages.

Chip, ink and everyday use

Two ink chemistries split the work on this family: pigment in the black position for documents, dye in the tri-color for photos — the standard FINE recipe. Ink levels are reported normally, because each cartridge carries a new compatible chip. And since the printhead is built into the cartridge rather than the printer, every cartridge change renews the printhead: streaky output on this platform is a cartridge problem, not a service call. Store spares sealed, upright and out of sunlight, and open the pack only when the printer asks for the cartridge.